18 Prime Element

Shin's eyes fluttered as he sat in the chair. Director Kim was shaking him, shouting his name repeatedly to no avail.

Eva was floating in the center of the library vault, her arms outstretched as a series of intricate glyphs surrounded a sphere of black energy with white lightning dancing across the surface.

She struggled to contain the rampaging energy, her holographic body phasing in and out of view, when suddenly the energy vanished.

"Great job, Eva!" Director Kim shouted, lightly smacking Shin's face and calling his name.

"It wasn't me, sir." Eva replied, reappearing beside him and holding her palm toward the unconscious young man.

"Not you?" He asked, mumbling to himself as he turned back to Shin and called his name repeatedly until the young man's eyes started fluttering.

"Shin!" Eva called out, data streaming from her palm and wrapping themselves around him, infusing him with an intense amount of energy.

Shin's eyes struggled to focus as he shot forward and threw his arms out, looking around confused as he heavily panted.

"Wha? Where am I? Where did they go???" He asked, looking around, sighing in relief when he regained his senses and found he was back in the vault library.

"You're safe!" Director Kim heaved a heavy sigh, flicking his wrist as a chair flew over behind him as he fell backward and slumped in the seat.

"What happened? I was in a dark void for what felt like years, and then…" Shin explained what happened and the two overwhelming powers that clashed before he woke back up.

"Shin…" Eva said softly, placing her hand against her chest and staring at him consolingly.

"My boy, you were following my instructions, and when we discovered your Prime Element, you lost control and suddenly passed out!" Director Kim explained, shaking his head.

"You were only unconscious for a few minutes, but the non-elemental energy you summoned rampaged and couldn't be contained."

"My Prime Element is non-elemental?" Shin asked, and Director Kim nodded.

"You have an affinity for death magic as well." Eva added, spreading her hands as a bar graph appeared, revealing his affinity with each element.

His highest was non-elemental at 95%, and closely in second was death at 91%. Chaos and life magic were tied in third at 89%, and the remaining elements were all tied in fourth at 85%.

The Prime Element determined a lot of factors for characters who were interested in pursuing a magical class due to their increased affinity with said element.

"Eva…" Director Kim called out, raising his hand and producing a skillbook, handing it to her, "I believe this might be the best one."

Before Eva could reply, he stood up, grabbed his head, and slowly walked away, stopping at the entrance of the vault and turning around, "Locate a suitable Stamina Well cultivation and see that Mister Shin is escorted off the castle grounds."

With his orders given, Director Kim logged out of the game. Eva turned back to Shin momentarily before staring down at the skillbook and shook her head.

The AI tossed the book onto a nearby table and vanished momentarily, reappearing as she floated beside a bookcase.

She grabbed a book off it, vanished again, and reappeared next to another bookshelf, holding another book before she reappeared before Shin.

"This is the Skillbook of the Omni-Magi Mana Circuit. It is one of the few secret circuits that have been created." Eva explained, handing him the skillbook.

"What about the skillbook the headmaster suggested?" Shin asked, turning as he looked at the book on the table.

"You can disregard that. Unlike Director Kim, I was able to access your status, and this will help you far better." Eva answered, handing him the next skillbook.

"This is the Martial Weaponmaster's Inner Circle skillbook. Both of these skillbooks are restricted, and no one should ever learn you are cultivating them." Eva said and smiled, tilting her head.

"Why are you doing this for me?" Shin asked, staring down at the two books, running his fingers across the intricately designed hardcovers.

"I'm sorry, but I do not have an acceptable answer…" Eva said, staring at the ground, shuffling her feet, "I just have this impulse to assist you. Across the billions of humans I've interacted with, you are the first."

"Regardless… Thank you, Eva." Shin said, standing as he placed the skillbooks into his inventory.

"Now go!" Eva said, smiling as she suddenly stepped forward, hugging him tightly, warning him quietly, "Make sure no one ever discovers your cultivation methods."

Shin nodded and turned to exit the library vault, turning back and staring at the AI for a moment before leaving.

Shin departed the castle, making his to his small dormitory, and sat on his bed cross-legged. He grabbed both skillbooks and opened them, reading the preface for each.

This was the initial step for unlocking the method of learning the skill contained within the book. The preface was typically a magical phrase created by the author of the skill.

[Omni-Mage Mana Circuit]

[Written by: Sylandris Pendragon]

[Who can doubt magic? It's all a matter of paying attention, being awake in the present moment, and not expecting a huge payoff. The magic in this world seems to work in whispers and small miracles.]

[Heavenly Mana Circuit of the Divine Omni-Wizard learned!]

[Rank: S+]

[Unlocks the Mana Circuit. Allows the User to draw in mana from their environment, increasing mana regeneration. Standing still increases the effect. Continued practice can promote the ability.]

[Martial Weaponmaster's Inner Circle]

[Written by: Nicholas Flamel]

[To grant the power of a weapon master to anyone at all, without effort, without training and proof that the lessons have taken hold, is to deny the responsibility that comes with such power.]

[Martial Grandmaster's Heavenly Battle Meditation]

[Rank: S+]

[Unlocks the Stamina Well. The User enters a meditative state that allows them to increase the combative effectiveness of themselves and nearby allies and decrease the effectiveness of nearby enemies. Continued practice can promote the ability.]